John Harbaugh cracks joke over Lamar Jackson's infamous trade request

At this time one year ago, John Harbaugh and the Baltimore Ravens franchise were sent into a complete tailspin when MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson requested a trade after his inability to get a long-term contract signed. It looked like Baltimore's time in the sun was coming to an end.

Jackson and the Ravens eventually came to a reconciliation after a very strange trade process in which teams openly declared they weren't interested in a 26-year-old former MVP quarterback who has been a consistent winner. Ravens fans were overjoyed when the hatchet was finally buried.

One particularly thorny part of this whole saga was the fact Jackson made his trade public on the day of the 2023 NFL League Meetings, leaving the Ravens scrambling to come up with an explanation. Harbaugh can have some laughs about this whole situation now that there is some resolution.

Harbaugh checked in with Jackson to make sure there wouldn't be a repeat of last year before gathering with the press at the League Meetings. Jackson is totally locked in as the Ravens try everything to finally get over the hump and return to the Super Bowl for the first time in 12 seasons.

Ravens coach John Harbaugh jokes about Lamar Jackson trade request

Jackson signed a five-year, $260 million extension with the Ravens with $135 million in fully guaranteed money after no quarterback needy team wanted to trade multiple first-round picks to Baltimore and pay Lamar. Let's check in with teams like Atlanta and Las Vegas to see how they're doing right about now.

Jackson responded to his payday by putting together a season for the ages, winning MVP for the second time and coming exactly one vote short of becoming the first player in NFL history to be named unanimous MVP twice. It seems as though any sort of animosity has been well and truly buried.

With the Ravens desperate to get a championship out of Jackson before he leaves his prime, Baltimore spent an obscene amount of money to keep Justin Madubuike in town before paying Derrick Henry to join Jackson in the backfield as the no-doubt bellcow running back.

Now that any animosity between Jackson and the front office has been smoothed over, the Ravens can go full speed ahead in their single-minded pursuit of a championship that gets one of the most accomplished quarterbacks in recent history that elusive ring.